- The Catholic Diocese has suspended Pastor Fr. Daniel Oghenerukwe for marrying Dora Chichah
- The church acted after social media footage of the wedding surfaced, revealing the priest's lack of due diligence
- Diocese of Warri banned Fr. Oghenerukwe from presenting himself as a priest to another notice
The Catholic Diocese of Warri, Delta State, has suspended Reverend Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukewwe from priestly positions following the allegations of his marriage with Dora Chichah in the United States.
Source: Twitter
The marriage was reported to take place on December 29, 2024, at the Church of Streams of Joy in Dallas, United States, and the video of the ceremony that spread widely on the Internet caused the church to issue an official statement.
What law was broken by the Catholic priest?
In a statement seen by TUKO.co.ke entitled “Decree of Suspension”, dated Thursday, January 16, 2025, the Diocese led by Bishop Anthony Ovayero Ewherido and Mhashamu Chancellor Father Clement Abobo, addressed the issue.
The statement noted that before the marriage, Fr. Oghenerukevwe requested on November 30, 2024, to be relieved of the legal obligation attached to his priestly vows.
However, he continued with the marriage without completing the necessary formalities, which violated church laws.
The Diocese emphasized:
“He is prevented from representing himself as a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Warri in any way. All legal consequences related to this suspension take effect immediately (cf. Can. 1333).”
Right of Appeal
The statement added that Fr. Oghenerukevwe has the right to ask for cancellation or he will be reformed but he must show a true intention to repent.
“Fr. Oghenerukevwe has the right to request the cancellation or modification of the order, but he must prove his intention to repent.”
The diocese also expressed hope for his reflection and reconciliation.
“May God grant him the grace to reflect on this situation and guide him to the path of reconciliation,” the statement concluded.
A Kiambu man leaves the priesthood and gets married
On the other hand, Father Edwin Waiguru from Gathigi, Kiambu county, told how he stopped the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church after deciding to marry and have children.
Waiguru noted that he began his priestly journey at a young age, attending a mission school for primary education before continuing to seminary for secondary education.
The priest said that his main priestly journey gave birth to different seminaries in the country, where he studied spiritual life, philosophy, and theology.
He graduated with two degrees and a certificate in spiritual life, both of which he said took nine years to complete, noting that he started in 2003 and finished in 2012.
In addition, Waiguru explained that he did not stop his service to God. He just stopped being a priest of the Roman Catholic Church because they don't allow priests to marry.
The priest said he went to Rome and served as a missionary in the United States before moving to Haiti, where his desire to marry began.
He later moved to the United States, shared his passions with his principal, and began to explore and learn.
The former Roman Catholic Church priest said he met his beloved wife, Margaret Wanjira, when he returned to Kenya in 2020.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
